Patient lifter and carrier



April 28, 1953 l. K. LOCKEY PATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Nov. 8, 1948 INVENTOR. [k6 K. Lackey myz a A'ITD RN EYB April 28,1953 l. K. LOCKEY PATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV-8, 1948 INVENTOR. [k6 K. Lackey ATTD RN EYS April 28, 1953 l. K. LOCKEYPATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 8, 1948 ii II IIl 1: 5: E. 5/

ATI'D R N EYB Patented Apr. 28, 1953 PATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER Ike KingLockey, Hondo, Calif.

Application November 8, 1948, Serial No. 58,991

4 Claims. (01. ss)

The present invention relates to the general .class of invalid beds forlifting and transferring patients, and more specifically to an improvedatient lifter and carrier of the 'free traveling crane type havinghoisting mechanism, and especially designed for use in hospitals andinfirmaries for transferring patients to and from beds, wheel chairs andother appliances when necessary. The primary purpose of the invention isthe provision of an appliance of thi type by means of which a patientmay with comfort, safety and convenience, be carried or transferred,with a minimum expenditure of time and labor, and to this end thinvention includes a minimum number of parts that may with facility andlow cost of production be manufactured, and the parts assembled withconvenience, to insure a durable and reliable lifter and carrier that islight and strong, and may be handled with ease.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be describedand more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of aphysical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined andarranged in accord with one mode I have devised for the practicalapplication of the principles of my invention. It will however beunderstood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be madein these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within thescope of my claims, without departing from the principles of theinvention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a combined lifter and carrier inwhich my invention is embodied, showing the manner of transferring apatient to or from a wheel chair.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the appliance with the lower end of the slingor flexible seat detached.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the appliance shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional detail view at line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional detail view at line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the leg strap employed with theflexibl seat, but detached therefrom.

The carrier, lifter, or travelling crane, as illustrated, is preferablyconstructed of lightweight metallic tubes, with a horizontal, lowdownbase frame including spaced parallel bars l,l, united at the rear by across bar 2 and the base frame is equipped with swiveled rollers orcasters 3, one at each of its four corners.

The horizontal base frame is thus constructed with three bars leaving anopen front into which a wheel chair, as W in Fig. 1, may be wheeled, orthe carrier may be rolled into position with relation to the wheelchair, for convenience in '8, 8 which may be welded at 9, or otherwise88- cured, and short diagonal braces or struts It, Ill, also welded tothe united parts, provide a crane structure that is readily accessiblefrom opposite sides and from the front, for attendants, whentransferring a patient.

The low-down, open front base frame, and the open front of the cranestructure, permit the base frame to'be passed under a bed, with theoverhead structures of the carrier projected over the top of the 'bed,for convenience and comfort in safely transferring a patient to and fromthe carrier, or to and from the bed.

Within the crane or carrier is detachably suspended a seat or bed ofcanva or other suitable flexible material in the form of a sling that isadapted to conform to the contour of the body of the patient in either asitting or reclining posit1 on, as indicated in Fig. 1, and means areprovided for manually raising and lowering the seat with its occupant.

Th flexible seat or slin II is provided with notches as l2, 12 in itslateral edges so that the legs of the patient may straddle the lowerportion of the seat, and at each of its opposite ends the sling isequipped with a transversely extending a series of eyelets as [3 for usein suspending the seat from the overhead hoist frame. For coaction withthese eyelets in detachably supporting the seat a front winding band l4and a spaced rear winding band l5 are each equipped with a series ofhooks l6, and these winding bands are wrapped or rolled around rotarydrums I1 and I8 journaled by their bearing sleeves l9, 19 on the twocross bars 1, l of the overhead hoisting rame.

For bodily raising and lowering the seat, the

rotary drums are actuated by an endless chain hoist 2i! operated by ahand wheel 2| that is journaled by its shaft 22 in a supporting bracket23 rigid with the crane, and a fastening pin 24 secured by its chain 25to the frame, is passed through a hole in in the frame, Figure 5, andwill engage one of the spokes of the wheel, Figures l and 4, for holdingthe wheel in any desired position.

For actuating the endless sprocket .phain a small driving sprocket wheel26 is mounted on the wheel shaft 22, and from this drive sprocket thechain passes around a larger sprocket wheel 27 on the sleeve of drum H,thence to a complementary sprocket 28 of the drum l8, and then the chainpasses around an idler or guide sprocket 29 journaled in a bracket 3% ofthe'overhead hoist frame, back to the driving sprocket. A low gearhoisting mechanism is thus provided by means of which the flexible seatand its occupant may conveniently and safely be raised and lowered asrequired.

For safety in transferring the patient, the flexible seat is equippedwith a body strap 3! that is passed through spaced slots 32 of the'seat,and a buckle 33 is utilized for fastening the strap in front of thepatient.

A detachable leg strap 34 is also employed, which is equipped with apair 'of adjustablekneesupporting pads or flexible cups 85, each havingan attaching slide loop 38, and the pads or cups are located beneath thepatients legs. The strapmay be placed around the notched portion of theseat, above the knees, and fastenedin'place by means of a buckle 37 'orother fastener.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an invalid carrier, the combination with a horizontal open frontbase-frame, an overhead hoist-frame, uprights unitin said frames, andspaced rotary drums journaled in the hoistframe, of a sling forming aflexible seat, winding bands on the drums and means for detachablyfastening the ends of the seat to said bands, means for securing apatient in said seat, and means for operating the rotary drums.

2. In an invalid carrier, the combination with a horizontal open frontbase-frame, an overhead hoist-frame, uprights uniting said frames,spaced rotary drums journaled in the hoist-frame, and means foroperating the drums, of a sling forming a flexible seat, winding bandson the drums and means for detachably fastening the ends of the seat tothe bands, 3, body strap mounted transversely on the seat, and adetachable leg strap haying supports mounted transversely of the seat ina position to receive the knees of a patient.

3. In an invalid carrier, the combination with an open front frameforming a crane, an overhead hoisting mechanism including a pair ofspaced drums journaled in the crane, winding bands mounted'on the drums,and a transversely arranged series of hooks mounted on said bands, of asling forming a seat having notches in its lateral edges, a transverselyarranged series of eyelets in each end f the seat engaging with andcomplementary to said hooks, a body strap attached to the'seat, adetachable leg strap surrounding the seat, and a pair of knee-padscarried-by the leg strap.

4. In an invalid carrier including a crane, the combination with a pairof overhead drums journaled in the crane and a sprocket rigid with eachdrum, an endless chain for driving said sprockets, and a hand Wheel foroperating said chain, of a Winding band on each drum, a sling forming aflexible seat, means for detachably fastening the ends of the seat tothe ends of the bands, and means for securing a patient in the seat.

